How can you tell if someone is lying to you?

[Marty4]

I've long ago figured out any "tells" that my close friends have, so they never get anything past me

When dealing with a stranger or someone who I don't know very well, I just look at the eyes. A good liar won't do some sort of eye-darting movement or avoid eye contact to make it obvious, but still, eyes almost always carry a message. If that message is at all different than what they're saying, then they're lying. At least, that is what I've found in my experience.

When I lie, I try to avoid doing anything that, if I was looking at myself, I'd recognize as a "tell". I act casual, using my usual banter and eye contact. I also try to keep them simple, so that for the duration of the lie I can actually somewhat believe what I'm saying.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Target Are they also likely to smile, grin or sometype of smirk?

Depends. Sometimes the prospect of getting away with it produces a thrill and the urge to smile. Other times smiling is an automatic behavior which conceals the weakness of nervousness and to a lesser extent sometimes guilt.

Again it all depends! The particular circumstances behind the lie and the individual nuances of the alleged liar's personality are what makes this kind of behavioral tell and reliable or not.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Why do you ask anyway?

[Iron Greasel]

How 'bout asking them?

If you really, really want to get to the truth, and don't care what the potential liar thinks about you, you could try verifying the truth content of the potential lie yourself. Search the basement for traces of blood. Watch the security tapes. interrogate witnesses. Watch a few episodes of CSI. Note, that a blatant display of mistrust like this might offend the alledged liar.

Basically it boils down to how much you trust the someone.

[Elif Godson]

It all, as has been mentioned, about the person, if they are known to you, a stranger, what ever, there is no real set pattern. Eyes work for some, body language for another, and then theres just that good ole' gut feeling that you get when something is amiss. Lie detectors are no good, they can be faked, vein movement is not a constant, it can flux due to emotional stress, any stress for that matter, caffeine levels, blood sugar levels etc... and on some people its a dead give away, its all about the person you are conversing with or grilling for information.

[Larry_OHF]

I have been able to lie my way out of things pretty well, even with people that have known me enough to know my mannerisms, as well as strangers.

I think its like acting out a skit impromtu, though experience perfects the performance and hardens the nerves.

As a side note, retail reps. for stores that need to convince people to buy things (like at Circuit City) learn to come up with fantastic stories to make most people believe them.

[Felix The Assassin]

Originally Posted by Knightscape There is always eve movement. http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies_eyes.php

I absolutely love that link!

Can I get a personal one on one with these guys?

As you all know, I'm different, and my eyes, are just that, my situational awareness monitors. They are trained, as is my subconscious muscle movement to wander, and to take in what is happening. Many people on their first introduction of me begin to appear nervous, as they are in anticipation of what is going on behind them, or around them, as my eyes mechanically move through their quadrants of observation from near to far.

My eyes are of blue/grey color, and they have a tendency to go cold-grey when something is not as it was, this heightens those around me who know me, others may fail to recognize the meaning and think I'm off topic, which for the most part, is true at that moment.

In a nut shell, the eyes are not always indicative of what the person is saying but more so, what the person might be aware of that you are not.

[thecarrotdude]

You beat the truth out of them.

[DrowArchmage]

you could beat the truth outta them i suppose, but i've never had that problem, i was born with a built in lie detector i guess. If someone's talking to me on the phone and they lie, i know about it from either their slight hesitation or the change in their voice. If their in front of me........most aren't dumb enough to lie to my face, but i do miss one or two every once in a while.

[Firestormalpha]

Originally Posted by thecarrotdude You beat the truth out of them.

Perhaps, but if they turn out to have been telling the truth the whole time you look like a major jerk with anger control issues. On top of that mostly for adults not sure with minors, but you get to face assault & battery charges.